with Joseph Bismark

Main menu

Monthly Archives: February 2009

Having adequate resources is vital to a company’s ability to conduct its business. More so, having the right resources is paramount to a company’s success. But let me ask you: what is the most important resource in your company? Which resource is the one that makes all your other resources really work for you?

It is so easy to get caught up in having the latest technological systems; the best office equipment; the strongest branding; the most competitive public image. All of these are important, but what about people? Your employees, your directors, your suppliers, your contractors?

I would argue that it is having the right people – and how we select, develop, educate and support those people – that could be counted as the most important resource that a company has. People are our greatest asset. Without knowledgeable and skilled staff; without polite and enthusiastic customer representatives; without focussed and committed managers; without these people, the company robs itself of the very foundation on which to build corporate success.

Like any asset, we must invest in our people to help them grow to their full potential. The relationship between a company and its employees is a symbiotic one. By raising our employees to achieve greatness, we are fostering greatness in the company. We are also nurturing genuine loyalty amongst the people who, at the end of the day, hold the company’s success in their hands.

We all know that it costs so much more time and money to find, recruit, train and induct talented new staff that it does to retain the staff we have. It is important therefore that we truly realise just how important our people are as a resource to the company. And it is also important that we commit ourselves to encouraging a supportive and satisfying working environment and corporate culture, in which these employees are able to flourish.

Please take a moment to ponder… A happy worker is a good worker. We should never think of our employees as unemotional machines assigned to fulfil a job. Nor should we ever view our staff as being a means to an end. Companies should empower their people to be the very best they can be. The rewards of doing so are great for both employer and employee.

Through all of my Gems of Wisdom, I try to impart to you some thoughts, advice, tips and reflections that I have learned from higher authorities and thorough self-realisation. Is this ‘wisdom’? I do not present myself to be wise, but what I try to do every day of my life is to find a little bit of wisdom within myself, in everything and everyone. Something that challenges me and motivates me to constantly seek out my purpose in life. I share this search with you through Gems of Wisdom to try to also challenge and motivate others to do the same within themselves. For what is life if not a journey on a search for purpose and fulfilment?

I don’t think many of us really know who we are and why we are here. And it seems the more we know, the more we realise what we do not know. This is a humbling experience, and we should internalise this experience into ourselves to further push us along on our journey. We are all constantly searching for that place where we belong, a place of real refuge, a place where real peace is found. We’re here for a purpose and we should embrace the search for that purpose. That to me is where true wisdom is born, knowing how insignificant we are in the grand scale of the universe.

We should not stop until we discover our purpose. What’s more, once we find that purpose, we should accept it and continue to search for ways to fulfil it. Everyone is born to be a leader, for example, but not everyone accepts that born instinct. Not everyone seeks to fulfil their purpose. Some shun away. In some ways, we are being selfish by not standing up and confidently taking hold of our purpose. Once we stop being selfish, true fulfilment comes into our lives and we not only begin to live out our place in life, but we begin to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Please take a moment to ponder… if we are faced with a wide, gushing river, how do you cross it? Do you try to swim against the current on your own? You know that your purpose is to cross the river, but how? You must seek to fulfil this purpose. By joining together with others, and holding hands to form a human chain across the current of the river, you, and many others, will be able to cross. And then you may all continue on your journey of life.

When I think of milestones, I do not think of material wealth or things that I have gained. I think of milestones as points in our lives when we have reached personal achievements within ourselves or for the benefit of others. To me, success is relative. It is relevant to the person, and for me, success is certainly not material or about status or about money.

Some people say I am successful, but I do not feel successful and I am not successful in many areas. I might meet someone who can speak ten languages and I think to myself how successful they are. I can only speak two languages and I truly respect those who have learnt to speak many. The day I can speak ten languages will certainly be a milestone for me!

When we do reach these milestones, we must acknowledge them. We must reflect on them and ponder how we are going to continue to better ourselves and others. In a recent speech by US President Barack Obama, he said: “You will be judged on what you have built; not what you have destroyed.” When I heard this, I had to write it down because it is so true. If we reach a milestone, and have had to destroy others – whether it be the possession of others or the hopes of others – it cannot be considered a milestone. But if we have helped, raised or built others on our way, then our achievement can truly be considered a milestone.
Sincerely,